We address the problem of estimating a fundamental matrix from a given set of corresponding pixels in two perspective images of a 3D scene that form a stereopair. The 3x3 fundamental matrix of rank 2 determines the corresponding epipolar lines in both images. Experiments with real stereo pairs have established the main reasons for instabilities of the well-known linear estimation based on the 8-parameter representation of a matrix. We compare three alternative 8-parameter representations and propose an enhanced estimation scheme that combines the linear estimation of the six parameters with the subsequent non-linear minimisation of the total distance between the corresponding pixels and relevant epipolar lines. The latter non-linear minimisation is done first by the direct exhaustion of the remaining two parameters and then by the local minimisation of the total distance in a vicinity of the minimum found by the exhaustion. 1 The University of Auckland, Computer Science Department, CI...
Yuping Li, Georgy L. Gimel'farb